[ ammonia ] and CO 2 emissions . As the world grapples
with the challenges of climate change , there is an urgent need to transition to sustainable alternatives for ammonia production .
The problem with conventionally produced ammonia
Global ammonia production in 2020 reached 185 Mt , with China accounting for 30 %, while Russia , the European Union , USA , and the Middle East each contributed 10 %. More than 90 % of this global production was achieved through Haber- Bosch plants , 6 , 7 where hydrogen and nitrogen are combined in an exothermic process inside a ‘ Haber-Bosch reactor ’ under high pressure and temperature , with the presence of a Fe-based catalyst to produce ammonia . 8 For this , 70 % of the required hydrogen was obtained via steam methane reforming ( SMR ) in 2020 , with the remaining portion derived via coal gasification ( China ).
These conventional pathways for ammonia production are emission and energy intensive , accounting for 2 % of global energy consumption and 1.3 % of global CO 2 emissions linked to the energy system in 2020 . 1 This makes ammonia production one of the most energy-intensive chemical feedstocks worldwide . 8 Most of the energy consumption in the ammonia production
process is associated with the process required to conventionally produce hydrogen as the feedstock for ammonia synthesis .
Decarbonizing ammonia production
On the other hand , within the context of the recent global interest in the role of green hydrogen for decarbonizing a substantial part of the economy , ammonia has been recognized as an economically viable and carbon-free carrier for transporting and storing hydrogen . This is due to its stability under conditions close to atmospheric and its high hydrogen content ( 17.6 wt %), which enables lowcost long-distance hydrogen transportation . 7 , 9 This is especially relevant given the importance that green hydrogen , or hydrogen produced with low environmental impact , has gained over the past five years as a decarbonizing energy vector for the energy transition .
Furthermore , recent disruptions in the natural gas and fertilizer supply chains to Europe , caused by the conflict in Ukraine , have heightened the interest of European countries in securing their own resources for ammonia production . As a result of these environmental and geopolitical factors , the production of ammonia using ‘ green hydrogen ,’ generated through the electrolysis of water and a power supply based on renewable
Energy sources
Requires 24 / 7 power
Electrolyzer Pre-compressor H2 Storage Haber-Bosch NH3 sales
Fig . 1 . Green ammonia plant overview
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